"Oh, holy shit! Somebody stab the fucker!" I shouted, running away from the invader.

"Die, bitch!" Savvy yelled, thoroughly impaling him through the back with my two hundred dollar Final Fantasy Noctis Sword.

"Ow, you bitch!"

"Dammit, he's still not dead! Gimme something pointy! I don't care, pass me the fucking cactus!" I yelled, reaching for said potted plant in the corner of the room.

"The cactus has a name, you know," spoke the plant that was, in fact, a person.

"HOLY SHIT, THE CACTUS IS ALIVE!"

"That's not my cactus, Dani! My cactus is right here!" Savvy said, picking up her one of her many potted cacti.

"Then throw the fucker at him!" I yelled. Savvy complied, swinging the cactus with all the strength in her good baseball arm.

"Jashin dammit! Did you just fucking chuck a fucking cactus at me?"

"Damn straight I did, mother fucker!" Savvy shouted back.

I reached for another weapon in my arsenal, wondering how the hell I got in this mess.

Oh, yeah. Now I remember. I honestly blame the weather man.

.

~Line Break~

.

I sighed, stretching my arms way over my head until I heard a satisfying pop.

"That sounded unhealthy," remarked Savvy. I turned and noticed she was standing in my doorway. Savanna Rios, AKA Savvy, was my best friend. Screw the two year age gap, Savvy was my besty!

She was nineteen, going on twenty, and was currently my house buddy. Bright red hair that could put sunsets to shame and forest green eyes to match, Savvy is the epitome of unique beauty. She was tall (six foot two), athletic (baseball star), and currently going to college (freshman). And single (how "eligible bachelorette" can you get? Damn, even I don't know how she does it).

"I made eggs, so get your rear in gear, kiddo," she ordered.

I groaned and pulled myself out of bed, throwing on a pair of cargo shorts, a plain white shirt, and my favorite black hoodie. After showering and brushing my teeth and all that other stuff (yes, in my own, private bathroom), I took a second glance at my bed, did a double-take, and my OCD took over. I hurriedly pulled my black and white checkered comforter over my bed, straightened the cosplay swords hanging on my wall, and re-taped one of the many drawings on my wall.

Finally done, I dusted off my hands and sighed, looking back at my work. Nodding to myself, I marched out of the room and slipped on my TARDIS blue converse and swooped through the living room/kitchen/dining room area to grab a piece of toast.

Right after piling scrambled eggs onto the bread and scarfing it down, I prepared to go to the door when a perfectly tanned hand stopped me. Huh. Tanned. Hand. That sort of rhymes. "I knew you'd want to organize your things, so I woke you up a half hour early!" Savvy stated proudly.

"What? You woke me up at-" I checked the time. "Five thirty? You jerk!" I pouted at her, slouching back in my seat.

"Hey, hey, kiddo. Don't look at me like that, it breaks my heart!" My pout increased tenfold. "Okay, fine. Have it your way," she said, looking pointedly away. I just rolled my crystal blue eyes and ran a hand through my pixie cut hair. Yeah, it's that short.

A quick looksie at my appearance before we continue any further. I'm Danica Potter (yes, like Harry Potter, get over it.). I'm seventeen years old, and a junior at Pines high school. I have jet black hair, just like my Pops', and big, bright blue eyes, like my grandmother on my Ma's side. So, basically, Xion reincarnated (which is another reason for the odd haircut). I'll admit to being a bit on the short side, standing at only five foot four, but my sarcasm makes up for the lost inches.

I pride myself on my blacksmith skills that I got from my dad. We make a living crafting swords, knives, hell- I once made a gauntlet, and my dad has made several full suits of armor. And all primarily for cosplay or movie props. I have collected quite the personal arsenal of swords, some shruiken and kunai, a glove I specifically made for bitch slapping, and other miscellaneous bits and bobs. All of them are actually dangerous and in fully working condition.

Which is why I keep them all in the spare room or hanging securely over my bed.

Safe, no?

Anyhow.

"So, I have forty five minutes to burn..." I trailed off, looking to the side.

"Nope," Savvy immediately answered.

"What? I haven't even said anything yet!" I shouted.

"Nope. You were gonna burn all your time on polishing the Buster Sword, weren't you?' she accused.

"Noooo..." I said, trying to look innocent.

"Well forget it. I want you to walk to school today, or at least penny board. The weatherman said it was going to be nice today," Savanna said.

I glanced at the foreboding clouds out the window. "Mmhm," I agreed sarcastically. "Savvy, you know how much I hate having to actually move. Besides, bus time is nap time!" I objected weakly, knowing that once she's set her mind on it, there's really no way of going back.

"Well, sucks for you, kid," Savvy stood her ground.

"I won't even polish my swords. I swear all I'll do is start in on the designs for the Kubikiribōchō."

"No. Now move it, tootse," Savvy said. "Your dad left me here to watch you, and that includes keeping in shape even with kendo season out for the fall."

I groaned, but caved in anyways. I left my hoodie unzipped and grabbed my penny board (penny boards are for wusses, but the lockers at school are too small to fit my actual skateboard) before throwing my back pack/satchel over my shoulder and taking off.

I'm sure I'd have time to draw later.

I kicked off, going straight past the bus stop and making a beeline for the school. I let my thoughts wander.

Savanna was going to be living with me for the next two months while my dad was away to make props for a big Hollywood movie. He trusted her enough with his only daughter, which is actually one heck of a lot. I usually lived alone with him in our (pretty huge for two people) one story house plus basement/workshop. My mom passed away when I was only a few months old, so I don't really remember her. Heck, I look more like my grandma than I do my mom. My dad was overprotective. Like, take-three-martial-arts-plus-kendo-and-sneak-attack-every-week-ha-caught-you-off-guard-sucker kind of protective. He wanted to make sure I could handle myself. Another reason why my room is filled to the brim with swords.

Savvy was a good housemate. She did the dishes. She's great, right? A housemate that does the dishes. When she moved in, she brought all her potted plants with her so she could stay at night, too. All of her potted plants were cacti. Like, no, seriously. She brought a dozen and a half potted cacti in varying sizes to my house. And she says my obsession with swords is bad.

I arrived at the school with ten minutes to spare. Yes, it took thirty-five minutes to penny board to the school. I live in an area without any other houses around for like, half a mile in either direction.

The kendo club president soon struck up a conversation with me, and all thoughts of continuing my designs were forgotten. What? The kendo pres was kinda cute.

.

~Line Break~

.

The school day was finally over. I opened up my locker and threw my trig review textbook and my AP Spanish notebook into my bag, then grabbed my penny board.

The other kids flooded out the main doors while I took the back entrance to avoid the crowds. After deciding to take the scenic route home (the weather was supposed to be nice, so why not?), I set off on the sidewalk.

Then it started to rain. Not rain, actually, it began to pour. There was no sprinkle. It was dry, then out of nowhere, poof. Better run, suckers! Mother nature's got a sneak attack!

Goddammit.

I turned to the bus only to see it already pulling out. Savvy was at college and wouldn't answer her phone until four, nearly an hour from now.

I ran home as fast as my annoyingly short legs would allow, my worn shoes making ripples in the puddles already gathering on the sidewalk.

I clutched my backpack to my chest to keep it as dry as possible while I zipped up my jacket and pulled up my hood.

After what seemed like forever and a day, I made it home. Having taken several breaks at bus stops and telephone booths to squeeze the water out of my socks, I wasn't really soaked to the bone. Only through the skin.

I twisted the doorknob, forgetting that it should have been locked. It opened easily, making me raise a questioning eyebrow. Maybe Savvy forgot to lock it?

I quickly dismissed the thought. Savvy was as paranoid as my dad. But I suppose she was only human. Maybe she was rushing?

I decided to ask her later and changed into some dry sweat pants and a tank top. Afterward I started making myself a sandwich. Leftover bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Yum.

After cleaning up the kitchen, I went to my room to clean my swords. Homework could wait until Savvy got here.

I took out a dust rag and a couple Final Fantasy based swords, moving my other cleaning supplies into the living room.

My house was kind of odd. As soon as you entered the house, you were in the living room/dining room/kitchen. The kitchen was separated from the living room only by a half wall, and the dining room was pretty much just a table and chairs right next to the kitchen area. There wasn't anything actually separating the two other than an island with a few stools in case I was too lazy to sit at the actual table.

A hall out of the main rooms led to the basement staircase where my dad and I forged, painted, and designed things. A guest room was also there, but we used it as a storage closet. Across the stairs was my dad's room, and next to that was my own. A bathroom was next to that, and three guest room plus one closet were on the other side of the hall. Savvy was currently occupying one, and the others were just covered in weapons or left alone. Quite a big house for only two people, huh? My dad had expected my mom to live much longer, and to have many more kids. Plans never go right, yet planning is essential, I suppose.

I finished cleaning the Noctis Sword and the Oblivion Keyblade by the time Savvy was supposed to come home. I started to package Oblivion for shipping, since we got someone to buy it at a good price on Amazon.

We sold it for seventy-five dollars more than it was worth.

That poor sucker.

Least he got a good Keyblade, though.

We had plenty of takers when it came to weaponry. After all, in my opinion, we were the best blacksmiths in the region. Maybe even the country!

"Best blacksmiths in the country," I mumbled. "I think I like the sound of that."

After using a good fourth of a roll of bubble wrap and duct taping it together, Savvy came in.

"Hey-o, kiddo! I'm home!" she called.

"Yo, Savvy," I responded, going back to sticking labels on the box. "How was the weather? Nice enough for ya?"

"Oh, don't give me that, Dani. It's not my fault the weatherman was stupid today," she frowned, flopping into the couch next to me.

"Yeah, but it is your fault that I had to runthrough that!" I complained, poking her in the belly.

"Whatever," she sighed. "Sorry, Dani."

I shook my head. "'Sorry' isn't going to cut it. I want you to make brownies."

"Brownies?" she asked.

"Yes, brownies," I nodded in confirmation. "You make the best."

"Now, now, Dani. You should know that flattery will get you nothing," she chided. I looked at her, conveying the unspoken message of Really? Do you expect me to believe that? "Except for brownies," Savvy amended.

"Thought so," I nodded. Savvy went to work on the brownies while I finished packing up Oblivion. I lay it on the coffee table, too lazy at the moment to put it away properly.

After popping the sludge into the oven and setting it to the correct temperature, Savvy lounged next to me and turned on the TV.

I yelped when thunder struck out of the blue, making Savanna laugh at me. "Saaaavvyyy!" I whined. "Don't make fun of me!"

She just shook her head. "Whatever, kiddo."

"Would it kill you to stop calling me kiddo?" I asked. "You're barely two years my senior!"

"Yeah, well, I was learning to walk by the time you were learning to breathe," she replied easily. "So, ha. In your face, kiddo."

I rolled my eyes while the rain began to increase, if that was even possible at this point. It pounded mercilessly against the roof and windows while the weatherman came on once more.

"Well, Edna, it seems we've got an unexpected storm on the way," Mr. Annoyance commented nasally.

I snorted. "No shit, Sherlock."

Savvy flicked my forehead. "Language, kiddo," she said offhandedly.

I stuck my tongue out at her, going to my room to get a pen and finish up my homework. After retrieving said pen, I noticed something... different in the room. I wasn't quite sure. Maybe it was the cacti?

Then the window crashed open. Glass shattered and wind began to flood inwards, making the curtains have seizures. Rain poured in soon after. The loud noise startled everybody, making Savvy shout, "Oh, shit!"

Except... Savvy doesn't have a voice that deep.

Or that masculine.

But the strange man who had jumped from his position of watching us from the halls did.

I went into panic mode as he saw us staring at him and began to stalk towards us.

After letting out a high pitched scream, I pepper sprayed the guy in the face and grabbed my pocket kunai. Who needs normal knives, anyway?

I suppose I would have recognized the man, had my thought not been completely occupied by the mostly coherent words of ohfuckmylifeholyshitwhatthefuckwhydoesthisshitalwayshappentome?

I was vaguely aware of Savvy grabbing the sword I had previously polished off the table, but became completely aware of it once she shouted, "Die, bastard!"

Savvy sloppily swung the thing, having no practice with any of my weapons.

"What the fuck was that for?" the albino cursed, easily dodging it, but consequentially stepping closer to me. I flipped a bit and dropped my knife. Spacebubblespacebubblespacebubblenopenopenope SO MUCH NOPE!

"Oh, holy shit! Somebody stab the fucker!" I shouted, running away from the invader.

"Die, bitch!" Savvy yelled, thoroughly impaling him through the back with my two hundred dollar Final Fantasy Noctis Sword.

"Ow, you bitch!"

"Dammit, he's still not dead! Gimme something pointy! I don't care, pass me the fucking cactus!" I yelled, reaching for said potted plant in the corner of the room.

"The cactus has a name, you know," spoke the plant that was, in fact, a person.

"HOLY SHIT, THE CACTUS IS ALIVE!"

"That's not my cactus, Dani! My cactus is right here!" Savvy said, picking up her one of her many potted cacti.

"Then throw the fucker at him!" I yelled. Savvy complied, swinging the cactus with all the strength in her good baseball arm.

"Jashin dammit! Did you just fucking chuck a fucking cactus at me?"

"Damn straight I did, mother fucker!" Savvy shouted back.

And, well, this is where I met you, wasn't it?

In this crazed mess of flying swords, cacti, and curse words.

I've always been one for memorable first impressions, I suppose.

"Dammit, guys! Knock these bitches out!"

I barely got out my initial question of, "What?" when I felt a hand chop down on my neck and all faded into black.